Gun safe

ABSTRACT

A gun safe comprising a carriage configured to receive only a portion weapon; a housing; a lock configured to lock a portion of the weapon; a biometric scanner positioned adjacent to a handle of the weapon so that when a user grasps the weapon while the weapon is locked within the gun safe, a user&#39;s finger of the hand grasping the weapon handle contacts the scanner directly, wherein upon receipt of a fingerprint of the user&#39;s finger, a processor determines if the fingerprint matches a fingerprint pre-registered with the gun safe, and wherein in response to the processor determining the fingerprint matches the fingerprint pre-registered with the gun safe, the processor instructs the lock to release the locked portion of the weapon.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/752,611, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

It is imperative to keep hand guns out of the hands of children and thieves. The art does supply somewhat conventional small safes for locking up hand guns. Most of such safes are small portable safes, which may be easily carried off by thieves. Also they are not easily disguised or proportioned to be hidable to reduce the possible discovery of their location and access thereinto by either a curious child or potential thief.

Some of these safes have combination locks, which in particular are quite unsatisfactory in that the guns cannot be quickly withdrawn because of the time for manipulation and the need for visibility which makes night-time entry difficult. Thus, in the event of danger such as the encountering of a burglar at night, it is difficult to retrieve a hand gun quickly without making noises or turning on lights. Under such times of stress, not only is fast action necessary, but a routine for removal of the hand gun into a ready to use posture is necessary which is not apt to be aborted by the need to access the safe quietly and rapidly, or simply because of nerves in the excitement of the moment that makes a combination inoperable. With the operation of a combination lock necessary, for example, an aborted attempt to open the safe to retrieve a hand gun could end up as a fatality because the combination was not handy or because in the excitement and need for fast action the combination was muffed or the unlocking process was noisy or required turning on a light.

Similar problems are encountered with key operated safes. To find the key in times of stress in the presence of a middle-of-the-night intruder, for example, you cannot turn on a light to search for the key hidden in a drawer which could not be opened without possibility of a tell-tale noise, or a possibility of stumbling over an object trying to get to the key hiding place, thus being apt to make noises in the attempt that would alert a burglar.

It would be desirable therefore to have a hand gun safe that would permit a loaded hand gun to be stored in a position available for immediate use and preferably a safe of a size that could easily be secreted so that it would be hard to locate.

In the case of storing a hand gun in a household with minor children, special precautions must be made to keep that gun secretly stored and if found, still inaccessible to the children because the safe is child-proof enough that it could not be easily opened. Also the ability to hide the safe and its contents from potential theft is important.

Even with these pressing demands for better solutions, no known safes have been introduced which would satisfy the aforesaid safety and access conditions and avoid the problems. Gun safes in the prior art are typically small safes which are made and locked in a conventional way and depend upon keys or combinations for preventing access to a gun. Thus, there is a special need for a satisfactory improved and innovative hand gun safe.

A general objective of this invention is to provide an improved safe for storage of a hand gun.

A more specific objective of this invention is to provide a fast access, childproof safe especially adapted for storing a hand gun. Another objective of the invention is to provide a safe for storage of a hand gun that affords the desired advantages above discussed and solves the prior art problems above set forth.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be found throughout the following description.

SUMMARY

According to one embodiment, a connected gun safe is disclosed that provides security through biometric screening technologies to ensure only authorized users can gain access to the weapon.

In one embodiment, a gun safe comprises a carriage configured to receive only a portion weapon; a housing; a lock configured to lock a portion of the weapon; a biometric scanner positioned adjacent to a handle of the weapon so that when a user grasps the weapon while the weapon is locked within the gun safe, a user's finger of the hand grasping the weapon handle contacts the scanner directly, wherein upon receipt of a fingerprint of the user's finger, a processor determines if the fingerprint matches a fingerprint pre-registered with the gun safe, and wherein in response to the processor determining the fingerprint matches the fingerprint pre-registered with the gun safe, the processor instructs the lock to release the locked portion of the weapon.

In another embodiment, a gun safe comprises a carriage configured to receive a barrel of a gun but not receive a handle of the gun; a housing; a lock configured to lock a trigger guard of the gun; a fingerprint scanner mounted in the housing and positioned adjacent to the handle of the gun so that when a user grasped the gun while the gun is locked within the gun safe, a user's finger of the hand grasping the gun handle contacts the fingerprint scanner directly, wherein upon receipt of a fingerprint of the user's finger, a processor determines if the fingerprint matches a fingerprint pre-registered with the gun safe, and wherein in response to the processor determining the fingerprint matches the fingerprint pre-registered with the gun safe, the processor instructs the lock to release the trigger guard of the gun.

In another embodiment, a method for operating a gun safe comprising a carriage, a housing, a lock configured to lock a trigger guard of the gun, a fingerprint scanner mounted in the housing and positioned adjacent to the handle of the gun so that when a user grasped the gun while the gun is locked within the gun safe, a user's finger of the hand grasping the gun handle contacts the fingerprint scanner directly, the method comprises receiving a user's fingerprint of a user's finger; registering the user's fingerprint into memory of the gun safe; in response to receiving a first fingerprint, determining if the fingerprint matches the fingerprint pre-registered with the gun safe, and in response to the processor determining the first fingerprint matches the user's fingerprint pre-registered with the gun safe, the processor instructs the lock to release the trigger guard of the gun.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a right side view of a gun in a gun safe according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows a left side view of the gun in the gun safe of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows a left perspective side view of the gun in the gun safe of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a right perspective side view of the gun in the gun safe of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a left perspective side view of the gun safe of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows a right perspective side view of the gun safe of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows a right perspective side view of the gun safe of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a method of operation according to one embodiment.

FIG. 8 shows a right perspective side view of the gun in the gun safe of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment.

FIG. 9 shows FIG. 9 but with the housing of the gun safe removed according to one embodiment.

FIG. 10 shows FIG. 9 but all components removed except for the lock and the gun according to one embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a side view cut perspective of the ICB wall assembly according to one embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a system diagram of the gun safe according to one embodiment.

Aspects of the present invention is further described in the detailed description which follows in reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way of non-limiting examples of embodiments of the present invention in which like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings and wherein:

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1-4 and 8-9 illustrate a gun safe with a gun 10 locked in the gun safe.

FIGS. 5-6 illustrate just the gun safe 10, according to various embodiments. It is noted that this may be applied to any weapon and the present invention is not limited to a gun. However, reference to a gun hereafter is used for ease of illustration and description.

The gun safe may have a housing, a carriage 50, fingerprint scanner 30, display 40, lock 70, battery, and a cellular modem 80.

The gun safe may include a plate for mounting the gun safe to an object, such as a wall.

The gun safe mechanically engages the lock, preventing the gun to be released. To release the gun from the gun safe, a registered fingerprint must be first placed onto the mounted fingerprint scanner. Whenever a finger is placed on the fingerprint scanner, an alert will be sent to a computer/server via the cellular modem. An alert may also be sent if the mechanical latch is disengaged.

On the display, a menu can be activated by toggling any one of three buttons. The menu will allow one to register or de-register their fingerprint.

The lock 70 is spring-loaded and is also self locking. There is a manual override option though. There is electronic feedback when the lock is engaged.

There is a controller or processor connected to all of the electronic components (lock, display, fingerprint scanner, etc.) to control the components, to receive data from the components and to store and process the data.

To unlock the gun safe, when a gun 10 is inserted into carriage 50, until trigger guard 76 of a gun 10 depresses a lock switch in the lock 70, lock switch 76 sends a signal to the processor to lock the gun in place. At this point, the processor sends power to a lock motor of the lock 10 in the close position. Lock motor then turns a drive gear of the lock, which turns a follow gear rotating a locking bolt of the lock 70 around the trigger guard of the gun, locking the weapon in place. Lastly, the processor sends a signal via an antenna to a smart phone application that the gun is secure.

To lock the gun, one grasps the handle of the gun 10 placing the index finger of their left/right hand onto the fingerprint scanner 30 which confers with processor to determine if an authorized or an unauthorized user is attempting to access gun 10 (by comparing fingers stored in the memory of the gun safe with the fingerprint of the user. At this point the process divides into two possible functions.

If the user is authorized, the processor sends power to lock motor in the open direction, turning the gears, rotating the locking bolt around the trigger guard to free it from the above mentioned constraints. The processor then sends a signal via the antenna to a smart phone application indicating that an authorized user has removed the gun 10.

If the user is unauthorized, the processor sends a signal via the antenna to a smart phone application indicating that an unauthorized user attempted to access the gun 10.

Notably, the gun safe is provided with a battery backup circuit that is activated automatically in the event of a power loss. Otherwise, the gun safe may be hardwired to a power source.

The cellular modem is mounted to circuitry and is configured to send any data via the antenna.

As shown no part of the handle of the gun 10 is not within the gun safe and the fingerprint scanner is positioned proximate to the scanner such that when a user is grasping the handle of the gun, the users index finger comfortably reaches the fingerprint scanner at the same time that the user is grasping the gun handle (and while the gun is locked in the gun safe). Thus way, in one motion, the user can grasp the gun and request authorization of the gun safe and is done with one hand in a quick amount of time.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to selected embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended; any alterations and further modifications of the described or illustrated embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. At least one embodiment of the invention is shown in great detail, although it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that some features or some combinations of features may not be shown for the sake of clarity.

Any reference to “invention” within this document is a reference to an embodiment of a family of inventions, with no single embodiment including features that are necessarily included in all embodiments, unless otherwise stated. Furthermore, although there may be references to “advantages” provided by some embodiments of the present invention, other embodiments may not include those same advantages, or may include different advantages. Any advantages described herein are not to be construed as limiting to any of the claims.

Any flowcharts and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate possible implementations of systems and methods according to various embodiments of the present invention. It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures and/or in the above description. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of embodiments of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to embodiments of the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of embodiments of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of embodiments of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand embodiments of the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, those of ordinary skill in the art appreciate that any arrangement which is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown and that embodiments of the invention have other applications in other environments. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the present invention. The following claims are in no way intended to limit the scope of embodiments of the invention to the specific embodiments described herein. 

1. A gun safe comprising: a carriage configured to receive a barrel of a gun but not receive a handle of the gun; a housing; a lock configured to lock a trigger guard of the gun; a fingerprint scanner mounted in the housing and positioned adjacent to the handle of the gun so that when a user grasped the gun while the gun is locked within the gun safe, a user's finger of the hand grasping the gun handle contacts the fingerprint scanner directly, wherein upon receipt of a fingerprint of the user's finger, a processor determines if the fingerprint matches a fingerprint pre-registered with the gun safe, and wherein in response to the processor determining the fingerprint matches the fingerprint pre-registered with the gun safe, the processor instructs the lock to release the trigger guard of the gun.
 2. A method for operating a gun safe comprising a carriage, a housing, a lock configured to lock a trigger guard of the gun, a fingerprint scanner mounted in the housing and positioned adjacent to the handle of the gun so that when a user grasped the gun while the gun is locked within the gun safe, a user's finger of the hand grasping the gun handle contacts the fingerprint scanner directly, the method comprising: receiving a user's fingerprint of a user's finger; registering the user's fingerprint into memory of the gun safe; in response to receiving a first fingerprint, determining if the fingerprint matches the fingerprint pre-registered with the gun safe, and in response to the processor determining the first fingerprint matches the user's fingerprint pre-registered with the gun safe, the processor instructs the lock to release the trigger guard of the gun.
 3. A gun safe comprising: a carriage configured to receive only a portion weapon; a housing; a lock configured to lock a portion of the weapon; a biometric scanner positioned adjacent to a handle of the weapon so that when a user grasps the weapon while the weapon is locked within the gun safe, a user's finger of the hand grasping the weapon handle contacts the scanner directly, wherein upon receipt of a fingerprint of the user's finger, a processor determines if the fingerprint matches a fingerprint pre-registered with the gun safe, and wherein in response to the processor determining the fingerprint matches the fingerprint pre-registered with the gun safe, the processor instructs the lock to release the locked portion of the weapon. 